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DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING SAFETY AND TRAINING SESSIONS FOR GOLF AND GROUNDS PERSONNEL

Ted Horton and Mary Medonis Westchester Country Club, Port Chester, NY

INTRODUCTION

Establishing freedom from danger, injury or damage, and instilling a sense of security should be our goal, as golf superintendents to create a safe workplace. In a profession with a high accident potential, the implementation of a sound safety and training program has several positive possibilities, some of which are: 1) it may prevent a serious accident, alleviating the future pain and suffering of one of your employees and the resultant absence of a valuable employee from your staff; 2) it may curtail or limit a lawsuit aimed against you or your company; 3) it may improve quality, quantity and efficiency of workmanship; 4) it may provide better uniformity of workmanship if each employee has had the same training; 5) it may result in a significant reduction of equipment breakdowns if operators are taught to correctly maintain their assigned equipment, and; 6) most importantly, an effective safety and training program may give your employees the impression that you truly care about their welfare.

In researching safety and training, we analyzed eight years of accident reports from our golf and grounds staff. The causes were categorized as follows: Back injury, 11; poison ivy, 9» mechanic-related, 8; tripped/slipped, 8; truck/Cushman, 7; lifting/loading (excluding back injury), 6; hit by golf ball, 6; insect stings, 5; eye injury, 4; head injury (excluding caused by golf ball), 3; and stepped on nail, 2.

Admittedly, we are still in the formulative stage of developing a workable safety and training program for our golf and grounds staff at Westchester Country Club. But, we have identified several goals and areas of concern to concentrate on. We recognize that another club's needs may differ slightly, but, on the whole the concerns of most clubs remain the same. Because of space limitations only the major points will be emphasized for each of the following. Many more points could be made for each.

A. TRAINING SCHEDULES

Effective safety and training begins on the daily level, with the help of your assistants, foremen or mechanics. It is as simple as reminding the crew to use caution on the steeper hills because of a heavy rain the night before.

Three weeks of the month we'll hold a half hour safety/training session one day a week, at the end of the selected work day. These sessions essentially consist of hands-on equipment demonstrations by the mechanic, assistant, superintendent or specialized operator with the particular piece of equipment being demonstrated in our court yard area. This generates positive feelings as the demonstrator (the regular backhoe operator, for example) is singled out as being knowledgeable enough to share his experience with the others. An hour long meeting, held on a selected day of the fourth week of the month, is designed to be more formal. Additional sessions may be held on an impromptu basis on rainy days, etc. Videos, movies, and slides are shown,

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and often, there are handouts. Be sure to choose a location that IS easilyaccessible to a film or slidge projector,- or a VCR.

After each of the training sessions the employees are requested to sign anattendance sheet which briefly outlines the topics discussed and indicateshandouts received, movies showns, etc. The attendance sheets are filed in theemployee files for future reference if necessary.

B. FORMAL INTRODUCTION PERIOD FOR THE NEWLY HIRED EMPLOYEE

Before discussing the specialized safety topics, let's take a look at thetreatment of the new employee. The "new hire" is an impressionable "blankslate" and the treatment of this individual in the first one or two weeks canturn him or her into a valuable, productive employee, or sour him or herpermanently.

It is important for the "new hire" to feel welcome and needed, and tobecome confident in his abilities and surroundings. This year we have set upa formal introduction period, which begins on the employee's first day, andincludes the following: 1) an introduction to our "key" individuals, givingtheir names and positions, and how they can help him become acclimated to thejob; 2) a tour of the golf course, showing the differentiation between thegreens, tees, fairways, etc., and explaining where he can and cannot travel;3) an overview of the club's policies, rules and procedures including thebasic rules of golf, and golf etiquette, emphasizing how to respond around themembership; and 4) if available, a training VCR tape for the piece ofequipment that the new employee will be using should be shown to theemployee. The "new hire" is then taken out to his first job assignment, andsupervised until it is determined that he is comfortable and competent withthe piece of equipment and the area in which he is working. For the firstweek or so, he should be directly supervised, or placed with an experiencedgroundsman at all times.

C. AREAS OF CONCENTRATION FOR EFFECTIVE SAFETY AND TRAINING OF ALL EMPLOYEES

The following are areas we feel should be covered for a comprehensive andeffective safety and training program. Recognizing that our industry is stilldeveloping, we were disappointed to find that there are very few visual aidsavai lable to train gol f and grounds personnel. We searched through thecurrent literature, made inquiries to many of the manufacturers, solicitedhelp from Cooperative Extension agencies, appealed to our insurance companies,called and met with "substance abuse center personnel", communicated withfellow superintendents across the country, and reviewed catalogs from GCSAA,CMA, USGA, National Golf Association, Hotel and Restaurant Association, PLCAA,etc. For the last 18 months we have questioned virtually everyone we've metto determine whether they could assist. In short, it is beginning to happen,but our industry has a long way to go!

However, here IS how we've started.

1. HOUSKEEPING

Improper housekeeping is one of the leading causes of accidents within themaintenance compound. Here are some examples of unsafe conditions caused by

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poor housekeeping: a dark, cramped toolroom; flights of stairs and platformswithout standard railings; faulty piling or storing of materials and flammableliquids; inadequate "means of egress"; grinding and sharpening machinery thatis not hooded and exhausted; garbage cans not covered or leaking; and improperor unclean toilet facilities and wash up facilites.

Twokit(s).properlytimes.

important considerations are your fire extinguishers and first aidKnow the location of each of your extingui shers and keep them

charged. Keep your first aid kit well-stocked and accessible at all

Training AidsOSHA Checklist and "53 Frequent OSHA Violations"National Arborist Association - slide/tape program - Occupational SafetyGrounds Maintenance Magazine - article - Vol 20, No 9, p 60--"Stream-

lining Maintenance"

2. POWERED MAINTENANCE EQUPMENT AND SMALL TOOLS

In 1980, there were 13,000 injuries in the u.S. involving power tillers,mulchers, lawn vacuums, logsplitters, and snowblowers. Many of these injurieswere due to equipment malfunction. That same year, 143,000 were injured byknives. Approximately 89,000 yearly injuries were caused by ladders or step-stools. Grinders pose a serious threat to the eyes because of the smallairborne wood, metal, or stone fragments produced by grinding. Insist thatyour employees use goggles every time they use the grinder (or any activitythat may injure the eyes--welding, working with batteries, or other corrosivematerials).

The basic protective equipment a golf course should have available to itsemployees includes helmets, eye and ear protection, safety shoes, faceshields, rain gear, and gloves, plus the various pesticide safety equipment.

Training AidsVideo Training, Inc. - VCR tape - Operating the Toro Sand Pro 14Video Training, Inc. - VCR tape - Operating the Ryan Greensaire IIJohn Deere - booklet - "Outdoor Power Equipment Know How and Safety Know-

How"Equipment Today Magazine - Jan. 1987 issue, p 8, article "Walk-behinds

Demand Safety First"Grounds Maintenance Magazine - Vol 19, No 8, p 35 - Article - "Safe

Equipment Operation" by Kathy CopleyBest's Safety Directory - Safety tips for miscellaneous tools

3. MOWING EQUIPMENT

For our discussion this includes walk-behind mowers, triplexes, rotaries,verti-cut units, and string trimmers. Unfortunately at Westchester CountryClub, we've had a few very serious accidents, directly related to operatorerror, which might have been prevented had proper training been stressed more.

String Trimmers--Safety Considerations

Operators should always wear sturdy shoes, long pants and some form of eye

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protection. If working with others, there should be at least 20 feetseparating each operator. Have the men stop cutting when members or otherscome too close. If a cutting blade is installed on a string trinuner, extraprecautions must be taken. The operator should wear a support harnessdesigned to reduce vibration, and prevent the trinuner from swinging back intothe operator's legs. The harness reduces operator fatigue by transferringpart of the weight from the arms to the shoulders and back. Remember, too,that a cutting blade is more likely to throw debris with greater force thanwhen using monofilament line on your trinuner.

Mower-Safety Considerations

Of the 150,000 yearly accidents involving power mowers, the following arefour of the leading causes: contact with the rotating blade; propelledobjects; overturning; and mower running over victim. Various precautions canhelp prevent most mower accidents. Wear sturdy, rough-soled work shoes, andcloser fitting clothes. Remove any visible debris before mowing. Avoidcutting on an extremely wet day, because the operator or machine can slip, andthe wet grass can clog the blades. Finally, always turn off the machine anddisconnect the spark plug wire when unclogging or adjusting the machine. Donot disconnect or over-ride any of the safety interlock systems installed onyour commercial mowers.

Training Aids:

Video Training, Inc. - VCR Tape - Operating the Toro Groundsmaster 327Video Training, Inc. - VCR Tape - Operating the Toro GM 3 (GM 300)Divots Newsletter - article - Vol 33, No 5, July '83 - "Safe Mower

Operation May Reduce Injuries"

4. POISONOUS PLANTS, INSECTS AND SNAKES

In most cases, a casual bout of poison ivy or a bee sting or two causesminor, transient discomfort, but little else. In rare cases, however, one ofyour employees may be bitten by a venomous snake and not realize that it ispoisonous, or may have a life-threatening reaction to an insect sting.Education is the key to preventative exposure to noxious plants, insects andsnakes. An awareness of the nature and location of the various pests cansignificantly reduce the incidents of contact.

Poisonous Plants: The severi ty of skin rashes caused by toxic plants aredependent on several factors. The tenderness of skin and degree of exposureare probably the two most important factors. Thus, a brief exposure to poisonivy can cause a severe reaction to the inside forearm, but a prolongedexposure to the palm of the hand may cause no reaction at all.

Poisonous Insects: Yearly about 250 reported deaths have been attributed tobees, wasps, yellow jackets, hornets, and ants. The majority of these weredue to allergic reactions. In a few cases, the individual had a reactionafter a second or third encounter with one of these insects. It is importantthat your employees know whether or not they are allergic and that you areaware of which of your employees may need prompt emergency treatment if theyare stung.

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Poisonous Snakes: Each year over 6,000 people are bitten by venomous snakes, but only 12-15 will die from these bites. There are three groups of venemous snakes: coral snakes, copperheads and cottonmouths, and rattlesnakes. The best way for your employees to avoid a possibly venemous snakebite is to avoid the heavily vegetated, brushy areas that the snakes habitate. When clearing such areas, wear work boots, long pants, and gloves. Noise generally frightens most snakes away, so give advance warning as you enter these heavily infested areas. Over 80% of all venemous bites occur when someone has tried to corner and capture a snake. Instruct your men that if they see a snake on the golf course, leave it alone. Snakes are not aggressive and would rather run that fight.

Training Aids: Golf Course Management - article - Vol 42, No 5, p 28 - "What to do about Wasps on the Golf Course" by Stanley Rachesky

Grounds Maintenance - article - Vol 19, No 13, p 28 - "Controlling Bees and Wasps" by William H. Robinson

Grounds Maintenance - article - Vol 17, No 12, p 10 - "Caution... There May be a Snake in the Grass" by Tom R. Johnson

Golf Course Management - article - Vol 39, No 7, p 26 - "Common Poisonous Plants" by James R. Feucht, Ph.D.

New York State Extension Publication No. 105 "Poison Ivy, Poison Sumac, and Other Rash Producing Plants" by John M. Kingsbury

5. WEATHER

The nature of the golf maintenance profession is basically an outdoors, braving-the-elements type of job. It is likely that both you and your employees are quite used to being outdoors when the weather is extremely hot, cold, wet, windy, humid, etc. It is necesary to instill in your employees a sense of educated respect towards the forces of nature.

Cold: Hypothermia is a deceptively gradual process in which the human body succumbs to the cold, and its systems begin shutting down as the individual feels more and more drowsy. Cases of hypothermia have been recorded in temperatures in the 40's, but most often occur below 32 degrees. Aggravating factors include being wet (in which your body loses its heat 200 times faster than if dry), and the presence of wind, resulting in "wind chill".

Avoid being outdoors when it is bitterly cold but if your or your employees must be, dress appropriately. Layering is the best way to protect yourself against the cold, as the layers of clothing trap your body heat. Protect the extremities (head, feet, hands) as they are the first to be affected by severe cold. Be aware of the warning signs of exposure or frostbite including tingling sensations in the extremities and a dull, drowsy feeling. If your men must be out on the golf course in the extreme cold, it is wise that they not work alone.

Lightning: Golf courses are natural targets for lightning strikes because openness of the land, and the presence of tall, lone trees, and ponds and lakes. Upraised golf clubs and opened umbrellas inadvertently become lightning rods, often with tragic results. Common sense tells us to move indoors when there is lightning, but occasionally you or one of your employees may be caught out in the storm. Your employees should know that areas to

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avoid in the event of an electrical storm include: small sheds or unprotectedshelters; isolated trees, elevated areas, large bodies of water, or near metalequipment or wire fences. Instruct your employees to seek shelter in:depressions in the ground (including bunkers), deep woods or a grove of trees,or lightning protected shelters.

Sunlight: Every year, over 300,000 cases of skin cancer are reported.Fortunately, 90% of the non-melanoma cancer is curable if detected and treatedearly enough. Because ours is basically an outdoors job, superintendents andgroundsmen run a higher than average risk of contracting skin cancer.

Heat: Heat stroke is the most serious of heat illnesses. It often occurswhen the sweat glands fail to function, with temperatures exceeding 104degrees, accompanied by dizziness or unconsiousness, dry skin, rapid pulse,confusion, headache or agitation. The victim needs to be cooled as quickly aspossible. Remove as much clothing as possible and sponge the victim with coolwater. If conscious, administer fluids.

Heat exhaustion is the most common heat related illness. Symptoms includenormal or slightly elevated temperature, feeling faint, profuse perspirationaccompanied by thirst, rapid pulse, and nausea. Victim should be moved to acool spot and given cool fluids to drink slowly. Apply wet towels to thebody.

Heat cramps most often occur after exercise or physical labor in theheat. Sweaty skin, weakness or nausea and muscle cramps are all symptomaticof heat cramps. Victim should get out of the heat, sit or lie down and drinkplenty of fluids.

Training Aids:United Lightning Protection Assn, Inc. - booklet - "Lightning, Its

Behavior and What to Do About It" by H. M. TowneThe United States Golf Assoc. - posters - "Lightning Kills--What to Do

When Lightning is Near"Agricultural Information Office, South Dakota State University - article

"Avoiding Heat Stroke"Golf Course Management - article - Vol 55, No 8, p 99 "Handling Heat-

Induced Illness" by GCMWestchester Country Club News - article - "Coping with Summer Sun--Eight

Suggestions for Protecting Your Skin and Guarding Your Health: byDr. Andrew Bronin

6. TREE MAINTENANCE

The biggest hazard in tree maintenance is use of a chain saw. Each yearapproximately 64,000 people are injured and approximately 50 of these peoplewill die of their injuries.

The following is a breakdown of causes of chain saw injuries: operatorrepositioning saw, 29%; kickback, 20%; skating/bouncing, 13%; tree/branchhitting saw/victim, 10%; loss of balance, 9%; follow through, 5%; saw pinchedand stuck, 4%; non-operating, 4%; and other, 6%.

Appropriate dress is the beginning of a chain saw safety program. Always

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wear a hard hat, sturdy gloves, heavy shoes, goggles, ear protection, andlogger's chaps. Choose the right chain saw for the specific job.

With the correct saw and proper protective clothing, the followingprecautions should be taken: 1) always keep both hands on the saw when it isrunning; 2) keep clear of a moving chain; 3) keep the chain sharpened andproperly tensioned; 4) always have a route of escape (preferably two), whichare free of brush, tools, fuel cans, etc; and 5) determine the direction youwish the tree to fall. If possible, this should coincide with the naturallean of the tree. Cut two notchs, or the "pie cut" on the side you want thetree to fall. The final cut should be at least two inches higher, anddirectly opposite of the notch cut(s). Leave a hinge of uncut wood to guidethe tree over. Never cut through this hinge, as it serves to prevent the treefrom twisting as it falls.

Training Aids:National Arborist Assoc., Inc. - slide/cassette program - "General

Safety"; "Personal Safety"; "Equipment Safety"; "Operational Safety";"Chain Saw Use and Safety"

The Idea Bank - VCR tapes and study guides - "The Elements of Pruning"The Idea Bank - VCR tapes and study guides - "How to Control Pests and

Diseases in the Landscape" covering trees, shrubs and turfgrassesAmerican National Standard Inst., Inc. - "For Tree Care Operations"Grounds Maintenance - article - Vol 21, No 9, p 34 - "Felling Trees

Safely" by Frank BuckinghamGrounds Maintenance - article - Vol 17, No 12, p 28 - "SOP for Chain

Saws" by GMGolf Course Management - article - Vol 44, No 5, p 88 "Chain Saw Safety"

by Grenville O'BrienU.S. Consumer Product Safety Comm. - guide - "Consumer Information Guide

Chain Saw Safety"

7. TRACTORS, LOADERS AND BACKHOES

Tractors

Yearly, there are approximately 9,000 tractor-related injuries, and 800deaths. Nearly half of all the fatalities were caused by the tractoroverturning. More tractor manufacturers are providing tractors with Roll-OverProtective Structures (ROPS). Used in conjunction with the seat belt, deathscaused by tractors overturning could virtually be eliminated.

The most dangerous part of your tractor is the power take-off (PTO). Onmost tractors it rotates at a rate of 1000 rpm. To give you an example of itsdanger, if a rotating PTO caught your shirt cuff, it would twist off yourshirt (including your arm) at a rate of 8 feet per second. This is why youshould keep your unused PTO capped at all times. PTO attachments have alsocaused extensive injuries. Consider allowing only certain employees to useyour tractors, and educate them as to the dangers and instruct them on how touse their tractors safely.

Loaders/Backhoes

Because of the sheer Slze and bulk of loaders and backhoes, its use

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demands an educated respect. At Westchester Country Club, our hard and fastrule is that only a few of our employees are allowed to use these vehicles,and we have one individual whom we consider to be our specialized operator. Afew others have the knowledge and experience to operate both our backhoe andcrawler, but most work is performed by this specialized employee.

In addition to being equipped with Roll-Over Protection Structure (ROPS),your loaders and backhoes should also have a Falling Object Protective System(FOPS). While operating these units, a hard hat and other protective clothingshould be worn.

Training Aids:Siegel and Assoc. - VCR tape - "A Presentation from Kubota Tractors -

Tractor Safety Begins with You".Grounds Maintenance - article - Vol 21, No 11, p 60 "Safe Tractor

Operation" by Robert GrissoKubota Tractor Corp. - pamphlet - "The Ten Commandments of Tractor Safety"The Bureau of National Affiars, Inc. - policy guide - Job Safety and

Health Reference Binder - "Heavy Earth Hoving and Handling Equipment".Grounds Maintenance Hagazine - article - Vol 21, No 2, P 50 - "Safe Skid

Steer Loader Operation"Grounds Maintenance Magazine - article - Vol 21, No 3, p 80 - "Safe and

Sane Loader Operation"

8. TRUCKS AND AUTOMOBILES

Some or all of your trucks and company cars may be licensed for use onpublic roads. Make sure all men \vho drive out on the public roads have acurrent license. Keep your insurance and registration updated. Remember thatmost states require a tarp when you are hauling items such as gravel, sand,etc. on the public roads.

Training Aids:Driver Energy Conservation Awareness Training (DECAT), P. O. Box 14400,

Las Vegas, NV 89114

9. GOLF CARS AND UTILITY VEHICLES

Your golf cars and utility vehicles are probably the most widely used andversatile of all your maintenance equipment. Because they are among thefaster vehicles of your maintenance fleet, extra safety precautions should betaken.

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Many of the utility vehicles in use are three-wheeled, and because ofthis, they are less stable on inclines and when making sharp turns. Instructyour men to slow down when riding the hills. Most of these vehicles aredesigned for one, or at the most, two passengers, but often there will bethree or four men to a Cushman. It is recommended to allow only as manypassengers as the vehicle is desinged to accommodate, but if there areadditonal riders, they should be securely within the vehicle's bed, notperched on the outside where they're likely to tumble out going around thenext sharp turn.

Training Aids:

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Outboard Marine Corporation Grounds Maintenance Magazine

Service Utility Vehicles" Grounds Maintenance Magazine Maintenance" by John Bush

10. PESTICIDE SAFETY

Perhaps the most potentially dangerous golf maintenance practice is your pesticide application. Consider the inherent hazards: you are working with toxic substances which could harm the applicator and other employees, members, children and animals, If incorrectly applied, the pesticide could harm or kill your grass or trees. If there was an accidental spill the chemical could be incorporated into the groundwater. Your use and storage of pesticides is perhaps one of your greatest legal liabilities as a golf course superintendent.

Safety begins with following both national and state regulations regarding pesticide useage and by reading each pesticide label in entirety. Although legally there needs to be only one individual certified on the golf course, at Westchester Country Club we require that every applicator be certified or be working towards their certification.

Pesticide storage is an important consideration. There are basic guidelines set by the E.P.A. which state that the storage area should be secured to prevent children, visitors, and non-applicators from entering the area. The storage area must be posted as such, indicating that fire will cause toxic fumes. Neutralizers should be on hand in case of an accidental spill. Consult your manual for further storage requirements.

Because there are so many groups of pesticides (carbamates, organo-phosphates, etc.) antidotes will differ temendously from type to type. You should have a label of every pesticide in your inventory in a file which is easily accessible in the event of an emergency. The Poison Control telephone number should be posted at every phone, within the chemical storage areas, and within your label file. We have had isolated incidents where we needed to contact the Poison Control Center and their responses were prompt, professional and extremely helpful.

For your regular applicators, consider mandatory Cholinesterase testing. Although some of your applicators may apply little or no insecticides, it is recommended that they be tested. For correct interpretation of Cholinesterase levels, your applicators should have two blood tests: one in the winter to determine their average or "base" level, and one in the summer when they are actively spraying.

As the manager of your golf course, it is your responsibility to insure that your pesticides are safely labeled, stored, and applied. In the implementation of a safety and training program, this should be one of your highest priorities.

Training Aids: Safety and Systems Management, Inc. - VCR tape - "Pesticides for Horticultural Related Industries"

Cushman Operator s Manual - Vol, 16, No 1, p 40 - article - "How to

- Vol 17, No 12, p 22 - article - "Golf Car

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University of Florida - VCR tapes - "Pesticide Safety for Non-CertifiedMixer/Loader and Applicators Program"

LESCO, Inc., - VCR tape - "Pesticide Handling For The Turf IndustriesGolf Courses"

Metropolitan Golf Association - article - "Suggestions for Handling,Storage, Application and Disposal of Pesticides at Golf and CountryClubs"

The Bureau of National Affairs, Inc. - policy guide - "Safety and HealthStandards for Hazardous Chemicals"

Grounds Maintenance Magazine - articles, 2 part series - Vol 10, No 3, P56 and Vol 10, No 4, P 81 - "How to Train a Spray Crew" by Dr. MalcolmC. Shurtleff

Grounds Maintenance Magazine - article - Vol 21, No 10, p 46 - "Developa Pesticide Emergency Action Plan" by Clark Bledsoe

Grounds Maintenance Magazine - article - Vol 19, No 9, p 24 - "The Nameof the Game is Chemical Safety" by the Grounds Care Forum

11. FIRE SAFETY AND PREVENTION

Prevention is the key to fire safety. Post "NO SMOKING" signs 1n allhazardous areas (fuel pumps, by flammable cleaning solvents, etc.,) andstrictly enforce its rule. Old fuel drums, empty pesticide containers, andoily rags should be promptly removed. Keep the maintenance area clean! Neverstore flammable material near a source of spark or heat.

Several fire extinguishers should be available within the maintenancecompound, particularly within the shop and fueling area. Smoke detectors andheat detectors (used in the shop, because activities such as welding would setoff a smoke detector) should be installed and hooked into the clubhouse ordirectly to your local fire department. Your pesticide storage must be postedto indicate tht fire will cause toxic fumes.

All employees should be instructed in how to deal with a fire (and how toprevent fire hazards). A trial fire drill is suggested once or twice ayear. Emergency numbers (police, fire department, ambulance, poison control)should be posted on, or by, every phone.

Burns:

Direct contact with heat and/or caustic chemicals can cause severe burnsto the skin. First aid begins with irrigation of the burned area with agentle flow of tepid water. Never cover a burn with gauze as it may adhere tothe wound. Keep the burn victim calm, and transport him to the hospital.

Training Aids:Insurance Agency "Loss Control Technical Guides" (Inquire from individual

carriers)Westchester Country Club - guide - "Fire Guide for all Personnel"Justrite Manufacturing Company - booklet - "How to Handle Flammable and

Combustible Liquids Safely"Golf Course Management Magazine - Vol 51, No 9, p 45 - "Fires and Burns-

Finesse the Menace!" by Ann ReillyConnecticut Burns Care Foundation, Inc. - booklet - "Helpful Hints and

Guides to Fire and Burn Prevention

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12. FIRST AID TRAINING

Quick response to a medical emergency can save a life, or minimize theextent of an lnJury. Often on a golf course, an employee is the first toreach the ill person. It is vital that both you and your employees know thebasics of first aid.

Training Aids:American Red Cross - CPR Modular Course - Training Course for EmployeesAmerican Red Cross - MultiMedia Standard First Aid Course - Training for

EmployeesGolf Course Management Magazine - article - Vol 45, No 4, p 44 - "First

Aid on the Golf Course ••• or Could You Save a Life?" by C. O. HartshornGolf Course Management - article - Vol 51, No 9, p 67 - "Learning CPR:

The Time is Now" by Sue Pinchot

13. PERSONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY

As a manager, one of your duties is to get the most productivity possiblefrom each of your employees. From experience you realize that some people aresimply more capable of being productive than others. You also recognize thatan individual's personal life can affect their productivity. If one of yourmen is a heavy drinker, you'll have to put up with his unexplained absences orhis Monday morning hangover.

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Corporations are beginning to realize that their employee's personal livesdo indeed affect productivity. Many have begun Employee Assistance Programsto help individuals through their problems rather than terminating them. Ifyour club does not offer an Employees Assistance Program, there are. steps youas a manager can take to help a troubled employee. First you must recognizethe warning signs that there is a problem. What you do from there depends inpart on the individual.

Training Aids:Alcoholism and Drug Dependency Council, Inc. - pamphlets, booklets,

articles, movies, tapes, etc.National Council on Alcoholism, Inc.Kemper Insurance Companies - pamphlet - "What About Drugs and Employees?"Krames Communications - booklet - "Alcoholism in the Workplace: What Can

You Do"

Other areas of training we emphasize include: 14) Employee Etiquette; 15)Personal and Club Security; 16) Irrigation Management Training; 17)Fertilization Training; and 18) Understanding Golf.

CONCLUSION

Effective safety and tralnlng programs are not developed overnight. Butappreciable gains can soon be realized if you keep in mind that time is of theessence.

Developing a safety and training program to fit all situations andconditions is next to impossible because of the constant turnover of personnel

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and since our work is carried on through all kinds of situations 1n nature andcan be also unlimited in scope. However, L. H. Bornoff, author of "The HumanSide of Safety" lists some basic fundamentals which, if utilized, cancontribute substantially to the success of the program: 1) an unwaveringsafety policy that is mandatory; 2) pre-testing, indoctrination and safetytraining of all employees; 3) the preparation, publication and distribution ofsafety instruction guide books for supervisors and workers; 4) and holding ofsafety meetings of supervisors and workers at regularly designated intervals;5) the reporting of all injuries regardless of how slight they may appear tobe; 6) weekly job-site safety inspections and immediate corrective action; 7)proper instruction in the use of all personal safety equipment; 8) safetyincentives; and 9) safety surveys and inspections at regular intervals.

Hopefully, some of the topics we've discussed will spark you to analyzeand perhaps change parts of your operation!